Lady&#39;s hat-case.



N. H. WARD.

LADYS HAT CASE.

APPLICATION FILED 11017.23, 1911.

1 073; 91 Patented Sept. 16, 1913.

W/ TNEJJIEJI /79 I I outrun STATES PATENT caries.

NELLIE H. WARD, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

LADYS HAT-CASE.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, NELLIE H. VARD, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Visconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ladies Hat-Cases, of which the following is a description, ref erence being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in hat cases particularly adapted to hold ladies hats while traveling.

It is one of the objects of this invention to provide a hat case which is adapted to hold a ladys hat of any size or shape and to protect the same from injury and from dust and moisture and which may be carried as hand baggage.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hat case which may be adjusted to fit and hold ladies hats of various sizes and shapes and which is also adapted to hold other articles of wearing apparel.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hat case which is substantial and durable and which may be conveniently folded to occupy a minimum amount of space and placed within a suit case if so desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hat case which may be folded and used as a neat traveling case in which a number of articles of wearing apparel may be carried.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hat case with means for securely fastening the hat in position within the case to prevent it from accidental slipping around and getting out of shape.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hat case which is simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved hat case and its parts and combinations as set forth in the claim, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts-in an! of the views: Figure 1 is a side view of the improved hat case; Fig. 2 is a perspective view thereof in folded position; Fig.s-3'-is a side View of the hat case on a larger scale, parts broken away to show interior construction; Fig. 4 is an edge view of the case with a ladys hat in- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 23, 1911.

Patented Sept. 16,1913.

Serial No. 661,953.

closed therein; Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the case taken on line 55 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of the case taken on line 66 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing the numeral 8 indicates the back portion of the improved hat case or container which is of circular shape and of a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the rim of the largest sized hat it is adapted to contain. This back portion is formed of a ly material of sufiicient thickness to provide a firm back which will hold its shape and is creased medially horizontally, as at 9, to permit the upper and lower sections 10 and 11, respectively, to be folded together.

The upper edge of the upper section of the back portion is provided with a loop or handle 12 for carrying the case or for suspending it from a support, and the upper section is also provided with a strap 13 which is adapted to fold over the edge of the lower section, when said lower section is in folded position. The free end of the strap is provided with a snap fastener 1 1 which engages the complementary fastener part 15 projecting from the outer side of the lower section to securely hold the two sections together. The back portion is covered with any suitable covering 16, preferably 9f waterproof ull illl ill llt to exclude moisture and dust.

The back portion is provided with side flaps 17 and 18 which are each sewed to one of the side edges of the back for a distance approximately one-fourth of the circumference of the back portion, and their free or unattached inner portions overlap each other to a considerable extent and have snaps 19 fastened thereto to adjustably connect the portions together. These flaps are formed with horizontally extending plaits 20 to provide a fullness in the flaps. Upper and lower flaps 2-1 and 22 are also sewed at their outer edges to the back portion and overlap the side flaps and each other, and are also provided with a number of snap fasteners 23 for adjustably connecting their overlapped portions together. The upper and lower flaps are also formed with plaited portions 24 to provide a desirable fullness in the flaps. The flexibility {if the, flaps and the folds permit the flaps to adjustably fit and conform to hats of various shapes and sizes placed within the case.

Turn buttons 25, pivoted to the upper back section and positioned to swing over the crease or fold of the upper and lower sections, are adapted to hold the back portion in open position when turned downwardly.

In order to securely hold a hat in position within the case or container, spring clasps 26, spaced equi-distantly apart and connected to the back portion by elastic bands 27, are adapted to engage the outer edge of the rim of the hat and firmly hold the hat in place. The elastic bands are adjustable and may be lengthened or shortened to engage hats of different diameters by means of the slide buckle 28 and the loop 29 of the band. A pocket 30 is sewed t0 the inner covering of the upper section to provide for holding small pieces of wearing apparel or other articles.

The side and upper and lower flaps are formed Of i lcmirate jErect. material to pi esent an ornate appearance.

The hat case may also be made of leather,

or any other desirable material, "anti ar" bacFpbition my be formed of two parts hinged together, if desired.

In use the case is unfolded and the turn buttons swung downwardly to hold the back portion in unfolded position. The hat is slipped beneath the flaps with the rim resting against the back portion. The rim is now engaged by the spring clasps at three points to securely fasten the hat in position, and the flaps are folded over the crown or upper portion of the hat and snapped together in pairs in overlapped positions, the plaits of the flaps giving the necessary fullness thereto to accommodate the shape of the crown of the hat.

seen that the hat case is very simple in co-nstruction, ornate in appearance and is well adapted for the purpose desired.

It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to any specific form or arrangement of parts except in so far as such limitations are specified in the claim.

That I claim as my invention is:

A hat case, comprising a back portion formed of a non-flexible material, provided with a handle, flexible side flaps connected at their outer side edges to the side edges of the back portion and having their inner edges overlapping each other, a flexible lower flap connected at its lower edge to the lower edge of the back portion and having its upper portion overlapping the side flaps,

a flexible upper flap connected to the upper edge of the back portion and having its lower portion overlapping the side and lower flaps, said flaps provided with plaited portions to give a fullness thereto, and means for adjustably connecting some of the inner portions of the flaps together.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signa ture, in presence of two witnesses.

NELLIE I-I. WVARD.

Vitnesses C. H. KEENEY,

EMILY SonowAL'rnR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

